Laptops are small enough yet have powerful processors that can handle demanding applications. Notebooks bridge the barrier between work and play whether you are on the road, at home, or in a college classroom. When you are browsing the web, working on a video, typing a research paper, or playing some of the best PC games, laptops can handle it all. Laptops come in a variety of prices, features, and sizes, which makes choosing the right one a challenging task.
Choosing A Platform
There are three major platforms; Windows, Chrome OS, and macOS. Depending on your needs, the choice may be easy but if you have not had any platform-dependent software or loyalties then the choice is not an easy one.
Windows 11: This is the most flexible operating system running on more laptops than all the other operating systems. Windows notebooks have a price range of between $150 and several thousand dollars. They all come with a wide range of features including fingerprint readers, touchscreens, and dual graphics cards. Compared to Windows 10, Windows 11 is an improvement in terms of the interface, Microsoft Store, and several other useful features like Snap View. Windows 11 laptops are good for students, business users, and researchers, and are the only option for serious gamers.
Apple macOS: All MacBooks come with macOS Ventura, the later version of Apple’s operating system with similar functionalities to Windows 11. The difference is reflected in the interface, which substitutes the Windows start menu with an apps dock at the bottom of the screen. Mac users get Siri instead of Cortana, and can also carry out transactions through Apple Pay, use their Apple Watch as an unlock key, and even take texts or calls from other phones. macOS however cannot work with touchscreens because no MacBook has a touchscreen.
Chrome OS: This OS is often found in low-cost Chromebooks like the Samsung Chromebook 3. Chrome OS is simple and secure but is limited compared to the other operating systems. It slightly resembles Windows with a desktop, application menu, and draggable windows. The OS however focuses more on the Chrome browser, and while the newer Chromebooks can run Android apps, they are not fully optimized to run on laptops. If you are planning on using a VPN and (for example) have found the best VPN for El Salvador, there is no guarantee that it will run perfectly on a Chromebook. Chromebooks are good if all you want to do is browse the web, navigate social media, check email, and chat online.
Choosing A Brand
Your laptop is only as good as its manufacturer. Timely and accurate technical support is essential. When you get into trouble you want to get help as fast as possible and go back to what you are doing. Different manufacturers have varying levels of support. Support is the only part that determines whether the notebook brand you choose was worth the money you paid for. You also have to consider how well the manufacturer designs, performance, selection, value, and other criteria. The best way to do this is through websites that constantly compare laptop brands using several criteria.
Going For The Right Size
Just how portable do you need your laptop to be? Laptops are usually categorized into sizes based on their display sizes:
11 to 12 inches: The smallest and lightest laptops weigh very little.
13 to 14 inches: A balance of usability and profitability, especially if you choose the lighter versions.
15 to 16 inches: The most popular size is recommendable for users who like large screens and do not plan on carrying their notebooks often.
17 to 18 inches: If you plan on placing your laptop on the desk the entire day then this size will do you right. These laptops are often used to play high-end games and provide workstation-level productivity.
Checking The Keyboard And Touchpad
While your laptop may have the best specs, if it doesn’t have good ergonomics then you will be in for a hard time, especially if you plan on doing a lot of work. Make sure the keyboard offers plenty of key travel, solid tactile feedback, and good space between the keys. In case you are purchasing a Windows laptop, make sure it has Precision touchpad drivers. Find a touchpad that does not have the jumpy cursor effect and consistently responds to multitouch gestures like pinching to zoom. In case you are buying a business laptop, get one with a pointing stick to avoid having to move your hands off the keyboard to navigate.
Choosing The Specs
The CPU is the brain of the computer and greatly influences your laptop’s performance, but depending on what you plan on doing with your laptop, you may even go for the cheaper models and still accomplish what you need.
The Apple M1 and M2 chips provide the best balance of raw performance and endurance. 13 Gen Intel CPUs have a superior performance and battery life ratio. AMD Ryzen 7000 is the best AMD has to offer with up to 78% boost in CPU performance. The Ryzen 5000 and 6000 chips are good options on the more budget-friendly laptops. The Core i9 Intel processors provide the best performance but are only worth it if you need all that processing power.
The Core i7 and Core i5 work well with mainstream laptops. The Core i5 and Core i3 are more affordable but may not meet the needs of a power user. Intel Xeon processors are extremely powerful and just as expensive, they are available on large workstations. Intel Pentium and Celeron processors are found in substandard laptops with the slower performance among all the processors. AMD A, FX, or E series are also found on low-budget laptops and provide decent performance for what they are worth. Find one that suits your budget and performance requirements for the best experience overall. You can use benchmark sites to see how well each processor handles specific processing demands.
